


Unexpected Friends

by dondena



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-2007 movie
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 06:47:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3478397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dondena/pseuds/dondena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>2007 movie verse. Leo and Raph have their fight on the roof, then the story takes a different twist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Flicking his wrist, the sai sliced through the droplets of rain that beaded down from the murky sky. His body eerily crouched into a stance as he held his sai challengingly at the brother who always antagonized him. His pupils were blazing with resentment inside the red bandana as his face twisted into a scowl.

The opposing turtle stood tall in the rain, his hands slowly balling into fists as he breathed in the animosity that lingered around them. His blue bandana scrunched around his eyes as his forehead creased with disapproval. He ignored the pitter-patter of rain that flickered over his face as his eyes locked in a perilous glare with his brother.

Leonardo’s voice oozed into his tone of authority as he slowly shook his head, “Don’t do this Raph.”

Raphael narrowed his eyes, his orbs sparking dangerously as hissed, “I’m done taking orders.”

Leonardo’s chest heaved deeply as his face grew into a deeper frown. Slowly, he reached back for his katanas, the acute blades tinking together as he drew them out. He remained rigid with his swords raised as he stared at Raphael, who was crouched in offence, sharp sais piercing the air. A moment of silence dragged between them, before a rumble of thunder tried to break their locked tension. 

With the spring of an athlete, Raphael pounced off his back foot and charged, the weight of his suit having no effect on his speed. Leonardo drove forward with equal velocity. Their metal weapons scraped threateningly against the wet concrete as they pounded their feet and leapt into the air. Metal scraped against metal when their weapons met in mid-air collision before they both landed. 

The second Leonardo’s feet hit the concrete, his body flicked around, sword flying at the steel sai that was already aimed at him. With lightning reflexes, the blue banded turtle flipped over Raph’s body and dove into a crouch. The fiery turtle kicked out his heavy legs as Leonardo jerked back, rising to full stance with his katana swinging. His threatening sword drove Raph back and he threw up his sai to block the offending weapon. 

With a forceful swing of his arm, he knocked away the blade and drove his fists forward, pushing his brother away. Slowly, they moved along the rooftop, water splashing around them as their weapons clanged together in several blocking maneuvers. Small grunts drew from their mouths as their eyes clouded in steel focus on one another. 

Raphael’s arms pushed forward with mighty strength and Leo spun on his toes, using the momentum to swing a backhand before plunging forward with his second katana. Raph quickly blocked it and pushed the sword away as his face grew into a rage like a man possessed. 

Both turtles thrust their arms, their weapons clashing loudly through the rain as they connected with brutal force. With an extra push, Leo shoved Raph backwards and circled him with his weapons still braced. He clenched his teeth as the fiery turtle flicked his sai again, his grip tightening around the solid handle. 

With deadly determination, Raphael sprang forward again. Holding his ground, Leo gave a single twitch of his wrist in anticipation of the turtle rampaging at him. Raph raised his arms high and plunged his sais down, only to be blocked by the steel katanas and driven backwards. Undeterred by the setback, Raph spun his sais back into their upright position and tensed as the other turtle charged at him. 

With another flick of his backhand, Leonardo thrust his swords. Back and forth, their arms lunged through the air as the blue banded turtle slowly backed the red banded turtle against the ledge of the rooftop. Leaping into the air, Leo cornered Raph with a final high kick. A katana swished menacingly across, grazing the hard shoulder of Raphael’s suit. With furious reflex, Raph barged forward and threw down his sais, Leo quickly blocking the plunge with his katanas.

Drawing back his arms, Leo sprang forward for his own attack and Raph caught the blades between the teeth of his sais. Raphael’s eyes were wide with wrath as he glared at Leo with unbreakable focus. Muscles flexed, tension built as the turtles struggled against one another’s force. Both their forearms pumped full of adrenaline as their weapons shook against the strain of each blade. 

With the scowl now a permanent fixture on his face, Raph bared his teeth and pushed harder. The intensity of his strength caused Leo to glance down in a moment of uncertainty. A clang echoed around them as the blades of Leo’s katanas snapped under the mighty pressure. Leo only had a second to blink at the jagged ridge of his broken weapons before Raph leapt into the air and rammed a foot into his face.

As Leonardo began to recoil, Raphael spun his torso in mid-air and caught him in the shoulder, driving him quickly to the ground. Leo’s eyes widened at the sai that plunged down against his face and he craned his neck angrily at the brother, who loomed over him. 

Raphael was panting as he held his weapon in place, his other hand gripped firmly around the second sai by his side. Raph’s amber eyes began to lighten as he slowly withdrew his weapon and stretched back to full stance. His angry gaze morphed with a confused mix of repentance as he stood back and allowed Leo to rise to his feet. 

The blue clad turtle remained tense as he eyed Raph warily for a possible recurrence. Instead of springing another attack, the red clad turtle simply tore his eyes away and turned around. Without a word, he leapt off the edge of the roof onto an adjoining building and fled. 

Leo’s heart was still racing as the exhaustion started to seep into his body. Taking a moment to steady his breath, he gazed down at his broken weapons and sighed. He crouched onto one knee and picked up the handle to inspect the damage, when a sharp pain jabbed his arm. With a quick hitch of his breath, he peered down to discover a dart protruding from his bicep. With a slight shake of his head, he turned around to see the dark shapes that were climbing over the ledge of the rooftop. 

He rose edgily to his feet and curled his hands into fists as the various Foot members approached him. The effect of the drug they had injected was quickly taking effect, and he blinked several times as the shapes of his assailants began to blur. They moved agilely around his dazed form, ducking from his swings and retaliating with their own. He managed to knock a couple to the ground, but more humans hastily ascended on him. 

Within minutes, the blue clad turtle was forced to the ground, grunting from the heavy weight that dropped on top of him. His mind struggled furiously to pull through the foggy haze as he heard the voices beyond him. Straining his eyes against his drooping lids, he tried to peer through the array of legs at the two people who were talking. One had a deep voice, the other was clearly female and his instincts told him it was Karai.

A fist suddenly plunged into his plastron, causing the air to blow out of his lungs. His eyes were barely slits as he wrestled with the various hands that held him down as his wrists were tied. He drove out his elbow, forcing away the human, but more fists came back in replace. The creeping fog in his mind grew into blackness and he could only just hear the voice before he slipped into unconsciousness.

“You know what to do.”   
___________________________________________________________________________

Leo’s head was pounding as it rattled against the metal beneath him. He tried to blink, but his vision remained concealed under the tight black sash that wrapped his face. Tilting his head, he took a deep breath and picked up the smell of diesel and rust. His nostrils drew in deeper and he could vaguely catch the scent of vegetation, a foreign smell to his usual concrete surroundings. He could feel the momentum of the vehicle vibrate around him as they drove, and he pondered on how long he’d been out of it for.

He tilted his head again in attempt to find a peek-hole through his dark mask, and a firm hand suddenly slapped down, holding him in place. The Foot soldier did not speak to him, but merely stayed by his side to reassure no escape. 

Time drew on slowly as they continued to drive in silence. Leo’s head was spinning as he thought about their intention and what his plan of attack should be. 

His ears strained against the noise, taking mental note of everything around him. The occasional isolated shuffle indicated to him that he was alone with one man in the back of a truck. He wondered if this compartment was completely sealed off to the front? The lack of conversation and movement made him think they must be. 

His hands twitched within the bonds that tied them together, his fingers still having clear access above the wrists. He curiously twitched his foot to analyze the binds around his feet. As they continued their silent journey, his thoughts went into focus on a planned escape. 

He may have been without his swords, but he could still feel the kunai wedged under his wrist pad, an extra weapon he had a habit of carrying since his training. He fought back the smile that wanted to creep to his lips, and for a moment he simply tsked at the Foot member’s sloppiness for not finding it. Searching a fallen enemy for hidden weapons would’ve been his first tactic.

There was no way he could reach it with his wrists bound together, but that did not deter him at all. He could feel the weight of the human pressed up against him and was able to gain a sense of his position. Opening his mouth, he slowly began to rasp his words. His voice was incoherent as he tried to croak out a sentence. For a moment there was no response, other than the human’s hands tensing. He continued this little act, knowing the human’s curious nature would get the better of him.

Soon enough, he could feel the pressure on his plastron as the Foot soldier leaned closer to his mouth to try and make out what he was saying. Immediately, Leonardo drew up his knees and cracked them across the back of the human’s head. At the same time, he twisted his torso and raised his arms to one side as the human’s face crunched against him.

Before the man had time to pull back, Leonardo drew up his arms and his fingers dug into a pressure point in the man’s neck, rendering him unconscious. He clenched his teeth at the heavy weight that thumped down on top of him and he bucked underneath until the human slumped off. Now free of an audience, he quickly sat and thrust his arms about until the kunai wriggled out from beneath his elbow pad. It lightly scraped down his arm and clanged onto the floor, which drew a satisfied smile to his lips.

He fumbled blindly for it and took hold in his nimble fingers. Turning the weapon upwards, he started cutting at the ties around his wrists until they eventually broke free. He dropped the weapon and reached up to unveil his mask and took a moment to spy his surroundings. He was definitely in the back of a truck, alone with the unconscious Foot soldier. The vehicle started to sway them back and forth as it took more twists and turns. Leonardo leaned down to retrieve the kunai and work on the ties around his feet. 

He was still grazing through it when a groan resounded beside him. He shot a glance over his shoulder at the Foot ninja that was beginning to regain consciousness, so he started working more furiously on the bind around his ankles. The human only hesitated for a moment before lunging over and grabbing hold of the turtle. 

Leonardo was pulled down and quickly flipped over as his feet tore apart the last shreds of his binding. His weapon was thrown from his hand during the motion.

A fist drove into his chin, sending his head recoiling back as the human pressed up against him. He twisted his torso and threw Leo onto his shell as he drove down another fist. Leonardo caught the offending arm before it could make contact. With a firm twist, he drew a cry from the man and lifted his arms to flip the human onto his back. He sprang on top of him, straddling his torso as his hands flew down. His fists fought against the flailing human as the truck screeched to a halt, the other ninjas obviously alerted by their tussle.

As Leonardo continued to fight, the human’s hands scraped against the truck floor, fumbling over the handle of the kunai. His fingers curled around its handle and he yelled as he swung his arm, driving the weapon into Leo’s arm. The turtle flinched at the sharp sting that pulsed down his arm but continued to fight. He was able to block the second stabbing attempt, but when the back doors of the truck flew open, another painful incursion stung him. His eyes flung to the doors as more ninjas scrambled in. He then turned back and ducked as his opponent tried to stab him again. 

He rolled off the human’s torso and kicked away the approaching ninja. The human on the floor bolted upright and lunged at him again as two more ninjas crept into the back of the truck. In lightning speed, the turtle was punching against arms and legs that thrust into every part of him. A burning pain suddenly soared through his side and he peered down in shock. A sharp dagger was embedded in his skin just beside his lower plastron. It was a much larger weapon than the kunai, and he quickly thrust out his leg and kicked away the man before he could plunge again. 

A pair of hands curled around his neck and started to squeeze as he kept fighting. His chest started wheezing as his hands scraped at the fingers that were blocking his airway. Another ferocious sting trembled through his body as the knife drove deep into his leg. When the fingers suddenly released from his neck, all he could do was gasp for breath. Pain raged through him as he wrestled against the strong hands that began to lift him. 

Four Foot ninjas carried him out of the truck despite his struggles. His alert eyes caught enough glimpses to realize they were on a bridge. The human’s hands began to slip from Leo’s blood that oozed down his torso and he squirmed free of a foothold and kicked a leg out. He heard a gratifying grunt of pain and continued to wrestle against the others, but every twist of his muscles sent scorching pain soaring through his body. 

The man he had kicked away returned with a vengeance, driving his knife deep into Leo’s side again. The turtle howled as blinding pain invaded his vision. He didn’t even have time to regain from the shock before the four Foot soldiers heaved him onto the ledge of the bridge. He could hear the raging water below, hinting a whirlpool of steep rapids. He only got one final dig at his enemies before the Foot members hurled him over the side of the bridge.


	2. Chapter 2

Leo’s body smashed into the water and was immediately pulled under by the undercurrent of rapids. Every time he broke the surface, he only had seconds to gulp for air before being pulled back under. The turbulent water pierced his injuries, sending a harsh sting throughout his body as he thrashed and tumbled. 

He peered around wildly as he pulled his head out of the white waves again. He was in the center of the river, with no hope of snagging onto a rock or overhanging branch. His eyes widened to the churning current that seemed to take a sudden drop, and he braced himself as he was plunged over the ledge into a deeper part of the river. 

The water roared in his ears as he was submerged and bubbles burst from his mouth as his torso was slammed into a rock. He threw out his arms to get a grip on the stone, but his body was quickly wrenched away and plunged deeper into the water as if he were being dragged by an invisible rope. The rapid waves whipped back and forth, trying to pull his limbs in several different directions.

When he broke the surface again, he gasped for air and suddenly a loud crack thundered across the river as his head smacked into another rock. Immediately, his world turned black and the turtle stopped wrestling in the water as the current took his body further upstream.

It was late morning when Leo had been thrown into the water.   
………..

The late afternoon…

Up river, there were two Indian boys that had just finished fishing for the day as it was to be their family’s dinner tonight. They were heading back to their horses to go home when the older one, Sam, 17, spied something on the riverbank that seemed out of balance. His thick eyebrows furrowed against his smooth brown skin and he flicked the strands of hair from his eyes. As he got closer, he saw that it was something unusual. It appeared to be a green body with a dark shell. 

“Look Jacob, I think that’s a turtle over there on the bank.” Sam said to his younger brother.

Jacob, 14, had a look and he too, saw that it was a turtle. But it was a kind of turtle that neither of them recognized. He frowned and ran a finger through his thin, dark hair and scratched his head. 

“I’ve never seen such a big turtle in these parts.” Jacob said, his eyes inspecting closer, “And one that wears a belt and harness. Its also wearing a mask.” 

The boys approached the unconscious turtle cautiously. 

“Do you think it’s alive?” Jacob asked his brother.

“I don’t know, but we could use the shell on it if it isn’t.” Sam said. 

Sam, being the older brother, poked at Leo to see if he was alive or dead, but there was no response.

“I think its dead. Come on. Let’s get him on my horse.” Sam said. “We’ll take him home and he can either be a trophy or our parents can decide what to do with it.” 

The boys went and got their horses, deciding Jacob would carry their fish catches home while Sam would carry Leo on his horse. The boys typically rode bareback, but when they were hunting, they brought saddles. They were very connected to their geldings, Sam’s horse being a big grey, while Jacob’s horse was smaller and colored like a Bay Pinto. 

The fish were put down as Leo was loaded onto Sam’s horse. Then his arms and legs were fastened securely with rope tied to the underside of the grey horse. Sam would ride double on Jacob’s horse while leading his own horse home. On the way, the boys picked up the pace as they wanted to get home before dark. 

During the ride, as the bouncing of the horses got harder with their canter, the pressure that was being applied to Leo’s plastron began to push inward, making him sputter and bring up the water in his lungs. He coughed harshly as his injured side began to bleed again. The sudden coughing caused the boys to slow down their horses. Was that coming from the turtle? They looked at each other and stopped. 

Sam dismounted his horse and went to check on the turtle. Leo had regurgitated the water from his lungs, but he still seemed to be unconscious. 

“I think the turtle’s alive after all. For some reason, he just had water logged in his system.” Sam mused. Then he noticed some red liquid falling down the saddle and dripping onto the ground. He took a closer look and saw a good sized wound on the turtle’s side. 

“We have a wounded turtle here. We need to get him home right away.” Sam said and he rushed back to Jacob’s horse, where his brother helped him back on. 

The boys rushed their horses home in urgency to get their mother to treat the turtle’s wounds. When they arrived, the brothers got of the Paint horse and went inside their house to give their mother the fish and tell her about the injured turtle they had found. 

“Mom, here is the fish that we caught for dinner.” Jacob announced.

“Thank you, Jacob. Now you boys should run along and clean-up for supper.” Their mother, Nina, responded. Her long, dark hair draped over her shoulder as she leaned over the pot on the stove. 

“Uh, Mom, we also need you to take a look at something else that we found.” Sam said. 

“What is it?” Nina asked.

“It’s a turtle of some kind, we thought it was dead. We found it on the river bank when we were coming back to get our horses.” Sam explained, “It’s a big turtle. We have never seen anything like it before.” 

“Well, turtles can come in all sizes, Sam.” Nina replied casually. 

“Yes, but this one is different. It also wears gear on its body.” Jacob told her.

Now Nina glanced at her son in surprise. Her sons were not known for making up stories, a lesson she’d taught them long ago. Her deep, brown eyes peered at them carefully as only a mother could. Her thin lips pulled tight across her face.

“This better not be a story.” She warned.

“No Mother, it’s not. It’s out on my horse right now.” Sam exclaimed, “Come and take a look at it. It’s hurt.” 

“Alright.”

Nina cleaned herself up, as she had been preparing other things to go with dinner. She and her sons walked out of the house and over to Sam’s horse. Nina now saw the big green shelled turtle that her sons had been talking about and her eyes lit up. 

“I’ve never seen such a turtle in my life. It seems almost human-like with those hands and feet and the padding on its body,” she circled the horse to inspect Leo’s body as she spoke. But then she also noticed the blood leaking from the saddle. 

“Your father may need to help get it in the house for me to treat those wounds.” Nina mumbled and she peered more closely.

“Yeah, he was heavy to lift.” Jacob agreed.

Nina went back into the house to get her medical supplies and to find her husband. “Alo!” 

Alo, Nina’s husband and the boys’ father, was in a special room attending to shaman like needs. When he heard his wife shout his name, he pulled back his thick grey-black hair and got up and opened the door. 

“Yes, Nina?” 

“Alo, Jacob and Sam have found an injured turtle while on their way home. You need to help Sam get him in here so I can treat its wounds.” Nina explained as best she could. 

“It’s a turtle, dear.”

“It’s not just any turtle, Alo, it is nearly human!” Nina replied breathlessly, “And it needs some help, blood is just pouring from Sam’s saddle!” 

Alo was a little shocked that his wife would say an animal would be nearly human and he replied, “Alright, I’ll see what all the fuss is about.”

Leaving his room, he ventured outside and instantly saw what Nina was talking about. The wrinkles grew around his eyes as he squinted warily at the animal. The turtle on the horse did look nearly human-like, with hands and feet that weren’t normal for a turtle, or the body gear it was wearing. 

“Help me, Dad.” Sam insisted.

“Ok, I’ll help you get him down, Sam.” Alo nodded.

Together, Sam and Alo got Leo off of the horse and before they went any further, Nina applied a pad of bandage to the side’s wound and tied a longer piece of bandage around Leo’s middle. Then the two humans proceeded to take Leo to Alo’s shaman room. 

Leo was laid down on the bed gently, he groaned but didn’t awaken. 

“Now what do we do?” Alo asked. 

“I’m going to clean and sew up that wound and I need peace and quiet to do this.” 

“Very well, dear. Come on boys, let’s go clean up now.” Alo ordered his sons out of the room, but before he left, he turned back to his Indian wife, “Might I suggest you tie his hands up first, just in case he might attack?” 

“I saw the gear on his back. They are for holding swords so he must be a fighter. So yes, I will just for safety precautions.” Nina nodded, “But first, do you want to help me take the gear off?” 

Nina wanted to help the injured turtle and his gear had to be removed so she could get clearer access. Alo came over and pulled Leo into a sitting position while Nina took the sword harness off, then Leo was laid back down. The belt was undone next and the gear was laid aside as Alo went and got some rope to have Leo’s hands tied, just in case. 

Nina saw that the blood was beginning to come through the small pad she had applied to his wound and then she found the cut on an arm and leg too. Whatever had happened to him, it sure looked vicious. Alo returned with the rope and he tied Leo’s hands to the bed post as Nina turned Leo onto his uninjured side so she could sew up the wounds. Alo remained by her side to help move him if needed. 

Treating wounds was Nina’s specialty. She cleaned off the blood as best she could after removing the bandages. Then she began to sew up the wounds, the side injuries being far more urgent. When that was attended to, she sent about cleaning and stitching up the arm and leg wound too. 

Leo remained unconscious through the whole procedure, his breathing a little labored from all the water he had swallowed, and from the blood loss. But his chest was rising up and down, showing he was alive. Once she was done, Nina and Alo helped each other to bandage up Leo’s injuries to protect them from infection.

Nina and Alo looked at their handiwork proudly, it was the best they could do for this turtle for now. The Indian elder placed a blanket over Leo to help keep him warm, but his hands were repositioned and retied to the bed post for their safety, and to ensure he didn’t accidentally tear open his injuries.

If this turtle did prove to be nearly human, then he could possibly be reasoned with, in which they may consider releasing him. But he would need some rest first before he could go anywhere. 

The family intended to find out what they could about him before they would allow him to go anywhere.


	3. Chapter 3

Raphael shut the door tightly behind him as he entered the lair the next morning, his resentment still stewing inside him. His simmering pout quickly changed to concern when he saw the look on his siblings’ faces. Donatello had been pacing the lounge room and immediately sprang over to him and demanded, “Where have you been?”

“Out.” Raphael frowned, “What’s the big deal?”

“You haven’t been answering your shell cell, and neither has Leo!”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t feel like talkin…” Raphael’s sentence broke off as Don’s words sank in. His face pulled into a deeper frown as he gazed over at Mikey on the couch, and Master Splinter in the armchair, both wearing an expression of concern.

“Leo’s not back yet?”

Donatello shook his head vigorously, his eyes wide as he inspected Raphael’s reaction. A small twist of nerves fluttered through Raph’s stomach as he peered around at them. Fight or no fight, Leo never stayed out. And he certainly wouldn’t fail to answer a call. 

Raph’s pulse began to race as he recalled their fight hours before. He’d been gone for ages, taking the time to calm down before he could bring himself to come home and face Leo again. He’d half expected another fight but certainly not to beat Leo home altogether. He tried to swallow the hard lump that was forming in his throat as his father gingerly arose from the couch to approach him. 

“Raphael, is there anything you can share with us?” Splinter asked. 

Raphael finally swallowed the lump in his throat and muttered, “We had a fight… a bad one.”

Donatello peered at him intently and Mikey rose to his knees on the couch, “Dude, what did you do?”

Master Splinter’s whiskers twitched as his dark eyes held Raph’s uncertain gaze. The scruffy fur furrowed across his eyes as he replied, “Even so, it does not explain his lack of response.” He shook his head warily, “This is not like him.”

Mikey quickly sprang from the couch and exclaimed, “Well, now that we know he’s not with Raph, we have to go find him!”

Don was instantly at Mikey’s side as they ran for the dojo to collect their weapons. Raphael finally broke from his father’s inquisitive gaze and slumped against the wall next to the lair door. He lowered his hands on his knees and took a deep breath, mumbling, “I broke his swords.”

“Can you speak up, my son?”

Raphael raised his head reluctantly and stared at him as he repeated more clearly, “I broke his swords, Sensei, I messed up.”

His father’s eyes were intent, though his expression was unreadable as he held his son’s gaze. For a while, the only response he gave was the slight flicker of one ear. 

Raphael sighed and lowered his head, his nerves tangling in knots. He cringed inwardly as flashes of the fight zipped across his vision. He muttered miserably, “I was just so angry, I couldn’t think straight… I’ve failed you.”

He almost flinched at the soft touch of his father’s paw brushing his shoulder and he peeked up while Master Splinter replied, “With anger, you have only failed yourself. But it is a lesson that can be learnt and you can rise from this as you have done many times before.”

“But it’s my fault Leo’s missing.” Raph gulped as he dwelled on his prior emotions. Nausea started to threaten him as he mumbled, “I’m just a burden.”

Master Splinter placed a finger under Raph’s chin and forced him to raise his head to look at him. 

“Your passion runs deep, my son, but that is in no way a burden,” his father insisted, “Used correctly, it can be a virtue.”

“But Leo-“

The shake of the elder’s head broke off Raph’s debate and Master Splinter added, “Leonardo understands this. If he is not here, it’s because someone is preventing it.”

His father’s words did not ease Raph’s discomfort in any way. But the encouraging look in the old rat’s eyes did. “Your loyalty is inconceivable, my son, and I am relying on you to find him, as I know you will.”

Raphael met his father’s gaze with renewed determination. “Yes, Sensei.”

His two brothers came scurrying back into the room, arms loaded with weapons. Mikey peered breathlessly between them, “So where do we even look?”

“I know where to start.” Raphael pulled himself off the wall and folded his arms across his plastron, “Let’s go find our brother!”

He held open the lair door as his siblings stepped out into the sewer and he gave Master Splinter a final glance and nodded his head. Master Splinter’s dark eyes were clouded with steady endorsement as he slowly nodded back. 

………..

It was now the following morning, and the family were back in Alo’s room to see if the turtle had awakened yet. He was still unconscious. 

“So what happens if he doesn’t wake up soon?” Sam asked. 

“We may have to put him out of his misery if he doesn’t awaken soon.” Alo replied.

“Then what?” Jacob asked. 

“You know we live off the land, my sons. I wouldn’t even know where this turtle came from. We could always use the shell and eat the flesh. But if he wakes up, we’ll find out what we can about him.” Alo said. 

“If he dies, why not bury him instead, Father?” Sam asked, “He is a warrior who has fallen in battle.” 

“We’ll wait and see what happens, but no promises.” Alo said. 

“Give him a chance to wake up first, Alo.” Nina spoke up, “He is a warrior and he just needs rest right now.”

“I’ll give him a week to wake up, Nina. We’ll figure out what to do with his body after.” Alo announced, “Right now, it’s breakfast time.” 

The family left the room, with the boys particularly concerned for their precious find. 

……….

Through the time the Indian family were having breakfast, Leo began to stir. He groaned and his eyes remained closed, but he could feel he was in a nice, warm bed. Finally opening his eyes, he was hoping to get up from his bed and find that his fight with Raph and the Foot was all a bad dream, but the sight of his own room was not what he woke up to. 

The scent in the room was very different to the scent of the sewers. He tried to move his hands to raise himself up and look around, but he felt the ropes binding his wrists and he glanced at them. Both hands were bound to the bedpost, and he saw that his right arm had been bandaged.

“Where am I?” Leo finally found his voice. 

He looked around the room, and there were dozens of candles lit. He tried to struggle in the ropes as he wondered why he was here. He then tested to see if his legs were free when he couldn’t get his hands loose. He was able to move his legs, but the movement of his left leg instantly sent pain through his thigh and he flinched. 

That fight with the Foot and his brother had been no dream. And after remembering being thrown into a river, Leo knew he had no idea where he had ended up or how long he had been unconscious. He could be anywhere, and he could be held prisoner by whoever had found him, hence his wrists being tied up. 

He couldn’t really feel his hands beyond the numb tingling sensation. But wounded or not, Leo knew he needed to get out of here. He started struggling more furiously, panic rising within him. 

“Let me go!” He cried out. 

As he struggled, the turtle felt a huge pain lance through his left side and into his stomach. Grunting in pain, he stopped struggling. 

In the kitchen, the humans heard a shout, “Let me go!,” alerting them that their ‘guest’ must have awoken. 

Peering around at his family, Alo said, “Let’s go see our turtle.” Everyone was up in an instant, excited. 

Leo could hear footsteps coming and he ceased his struggles as he waited cautiously, trying to ignore the pain he was feeling in his stomach. His breathing was heavy as he anticipated the approaching people, fearing it was the Foot, or someone who would love to kill him. 

The door came open and four dark-skinned humans stepped into the room. Leo observed two young teen boys, an older man, and a woman by his side. They looked like Indians to him, possibly a family? 

“Ah, I see you are awake, Turtle.” Nina spoke first. She could clearly see confusion on the turtle’s face. 

“Where am I?” Leo asked. 

“You are in our home.” Alo informed him.

“Why have you brought me here?” 

“Jacob and I found you along a river bank and we brought you here in hopes of helping you. We saw that you were no ordinary turtle, judging by the gear that you wore.” Sam explained.

“Where is my gear?” Leo demanded. 

“My husband and I took it off you so I could treat the wound in your side better. It was really deep.” Nina replied, “I stitched it up as well as the wounds in your arm and leg too.”

“I was stabbed in the side during a fight.” Leo recalled as he glanced at the ceiling, “My enemies were trying to get rid of me.” 

“I knew you were a warrior!” Sam said excitedly. 

“We all knew Sam, when we saw the sword holders on his back.” Alo said. 

“Do you intend any harm?” Leo asked them. “I’m hurt enough. Please, just let me go.” 

“You are going nowhere in your condition, Mr. Turtle.” Nina spoke firmly to him, “You need rest. So, do you have a name?” 

Leo was nervous around these humans, but he didn’t want to be called Mr. Turtle all the time. 

“Leonardo.” He finally replied, “Can you please untie me?” 

“Only if you give us your word that you won’t hurt us or go anywhere. Like my wife, Nina says, you need some rest, Leonardo.” Alo warned.

“I need to check your wounds this morning.” Nina said, “You promise not to harm me, Leonardo?” 

“As long as you’re not going to try to harm me, I swear on my honor since you tried to help me.” Leo responded earnestly. 

“Your honor?” Jacob asked. 

“I’m a ninja warrior.” Leo told him, “I try to be as honorable as I can to good people.” 

He was still wary, but he let the Indian mother come over to him so she could look at his wounds. She pulled the blanket down from his body and Leo gazed down at his middle, where he saw it was covered in bandages. Gingerly, she untied his hands from the ropes and Leo rubbed them to try and get some feeling back. 

“I need to look at your arm first.” Nina said. 

Leo reluctantly held out his arm so she could undo the bandage on it. Once it was undone, he could see the stitches, it was a nicely done job. It could just about match Donny’s stitching skill and the thought immediately drew his mind to his family. 

Satisfied with the state of the stitches, Nina covered it back up again and looked at Leo’s leg. It also appeared okay, but when it came to the injury on his side, Leo groaned at the pain that spread around his middle. 

“Easy now, Leonardo, sit up slowly.” Nina said soothingly. “My husband is a shaman; he can give you some herbs to help with your pain after I am done changing the bandages.” 

Alo came over to help the turtle slowly sit up and balance him while Nina undid the bandages. Sam and Jacob shuffled closer to the bed, curious to see how well their mother had stitched up the turtle. 

As much as Leo just wanted to charge out of the room, he was in no condition to fight. He was well aware that he could tear his stitches open again. The wound in his side had been his worst and the most painful. But these people were seemingly trying to help him, so he couldn’t bail now. Even so, he was more worried about his own family back home. Surely, Raph couldn’t be mad at him anymore and realized he was missing by now.

While they were re-bandaging him back up, Leo asked curiously, “Where am I exactly?” 

“Northern Maine.” Alo answered. 

Leo’s eyes widened - he was far away from home.


	4. Chapter 4

Donnie scoured the rooftop carefully as they kept low behind the ledge. The sun scattered over the cement in patches as it tried to emerge from the dusky clouds above. It wasn't their usual practice to be out in the daytime, but with Leo missing, time was of the essence. For a long time, no one spoke as they inspected the fight area for clues.

Raphael was kneeling on the cement in the very spot he'd knocked Leo to the ground and held him hostage with his sai. His throat tightened as he tried to swallow, gazing down at the scrapings along the cement. He couldn't find what was left of Leo's swords and that bothered him. What bothered him even more was the fact that there were far more grazes in the cement than what he or Leo had attributed to. Was that there before their fight?

"Given the age of the building, those scratches look relatively new." Donnie muttered beside him, causing Raph to flinch. He'd been so caught up in his memories that he hadn't noticed his brother squat down beside him.

"How bad was this fight?" His brother persisted.

"Bad." Raph straightened up, leaning an arm onto his bent knee as he stared at the marked cement. As his eyes swept over the scratches, he muttered, "But we ain't that sloppy."

Mikey came crawling over and whispered breathlessly to them, "Check this out."

Urging Don to open his hand, he placed a fistful of shrapnel in his open palm. Don rolled his fingers over the broken shards of a tube and peered closely. He held it up to the sun for a better inspection and narrowed his eyes. "What do you make of it?"

"It looks like a dart of some sort." He mumbled. He thumbed the spiked edged of the broken barb, "Or what's left of one."

Don drew it curiously to his nose and then lowered his hand, "Maybe some sort of tranquilizer?"

"Where did ya find it, Mikey?"

The orange clad turtle pointed towards the ladder that led to the building fire escape. The space was narrow between the thick pipes that stretched across its pathway. If someone were trying to move a 180 pound turtle in the darkness, it could easily have dropped when trying to get over those obstacles. Or perhaps it came out during a struggle?

Raph tensed as his eyes scanned the desolate rooftop, "The fuckers have got him!"

Mikey's head swung back and forth between his brothers and he whispered hastily, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Given our enemies, there's a few possibilities." Don replied, "We don't know for sure if it was the Foot."

Thinking of what they might've done to his brother, Raph's gut began to flare with anger. With burning eyes still fixed on the ladder, he muttered through clenched teeth, "Well, there's only one way to find out."

...

After having been re-bandaged, Alo went and got some herbs to help Leo with his pain. The herbs were smashed up and put into a liquid form that was offered to the turtle in a cup to drink. Leo was a bit wary of it, but he didn't want this deep pain inside him so he drank the concoction.

"The herbs will make you feel sleepy, Leonardo. But with your injuries, you do need rest as it is." Alo told him.

"And after you wake up from your nap, maybe I can see about making you something to eat. You do need to get your strength back." Nina said.

"Thanks, Nina. And Alo, for trying to help me. Though I know I'm not too hungry right now." Leo answered.

"That's ok." Nina said, "You're injured and you just woke up and found you've gone through a terrible shock."

Jacob's curiosity got the better of him, "Hey, Leonardo, are you from around here?"

Leo was beginning to tire from the herbs and answered quietly, "No, I'm from the city of New York actually. And I want to go home, I miss my family. They have to be worried about me by now."

"You have a family?" Sam asked.

"Yes. I have three brothers and a father."

"Three brothers?" Sam pulled a silly face and wrapped a playful arm around Jacob's neck, "I find it annoying enough with just one!"

Leo smiled as he watched Jacob chuckle and wriggle out of Sam's hold and elbow him. He then turned to Leo and asked curiously, "Are you close?"

"I have to confess that a fight with one of my brothers was the start of how I ended up here." Leo sighed.

"Must've been some fight." Sam said.

Leo nodded, "After our fight, I was exhausted and he ran away, then I was captured by some enemies and knocked out and taken to a river. I was thrown off a bridge and tried to fight it, but was knocked out cold on a rock… the next thing I know, I'm here." Leo explained his story as best he could, his voice now becoming more incoherent.

"Why did you and your brother fight?" Jacob asked.

"He has a problem- with being- led." Leo said tiredly.

"Before you drift off, what was his name?" Sam asked.

Leo's head began to dip as he barely heard the question, "Hmm, Raph." He said as he laid back on the bed.

The humans had never heard a name like Raph before, but they would find out more later. Right now, Alo and Nina shooed their sons out of the room so Leo could get his much needed rest.

…..

The four Foot soldiers didn't have time to blink when they rounded into the alley way and were confronted by the mutant turtle that stepped out of the shadows. His teeth were bared; his sais made a hiss as he twirled them around his fingers. The four men immediately went for their weapons and were only half drawn when the turtle began to attack.

As they fought back against the oncoming blades, two more turtles dropped down behind them and knocked them off their feet. One human rolled aside quickly as the bo came smashing down on the road. Another jerked his torso left as the nun chucks came flying at him. His movement was in vain and the wooden rods smacked across his temple.

Another man grunted as he swung his sword and the largest turtle ducked and swiveled around him, digging his sai deep. Don's bo swung back and forth, knocking one man unconscious with a single force of his hit. Without breaking movement, he spun his bo backwards and twirled around to drive it into the other human that was ascending on Mikey. The baby turtle's nun chucks cracked across his bones at the same time the bo plunged into his flesh.

The last remaining human had scrambled to his feet, taking a desperate glance at his fallen weapon and then at the turtles that approached him. Calculating his risk, he ignored his weapon and went for the logical choice to flee. He'd only gotten a few steps when a heavy weight pounded on top of him, driving him to the ground with a heavy thud. The air blew out of his lungs, and in the next second, he was flipped onto his back and the bo came down and pressed against his throat, holding him down like a vice.

The turtle's body was tense as he held his bo in place, keeping one foot atop of the human's torso. His brown eyes pierced out of his purple bandana, momentarily captivating the human with his unbreakable focus. The Foot soldier finally blinked when the other two turtles crouched down on either side of him. The sound of scraping metal was unmistakable as the largest mutant wiped the blades of his sais while he stared down at him.

"Where's our brother?!" Don demanded.

The human merely grumbled, "Go to hell!"

The bo pressed harder against him and he drew his lips tight in stubborn silence. When the cold steel of the sai began to trace over his face, his heart began to thump. The acute blade played teasingly across his face as the deep voice growled, "Spill it!"

The human closed his eyes and shook his head, but when he felt the blade travel down to his neck, panic began to set in. He sprang his eyes back open and gasped, "The others took him."

"Where?!"

The sai started to press against his sensitive skin and human choked, "M-Maine."

The younger turtle leaned over him and frowned, "Whereabouts?"

The human glared up at him and grumbled, "Northern Maine, upriver somewhere."

His thumping heart slowed down a gear as he felt the sai withdraw from his neck. His eyes swiveled sideways and scowled at the turtle that hovered over him. He was frustrated to find himself at their mercy and furious they'd made him break his code of honor. With his heart full of bitter resentment, the human held the turtle's gaze and sneered, "He's dead."

Raph's roar erupted the alleyway and thundered through the back streets of New York.

…..

In the early afternoon in northern Maine, Nina figured the effects of the herbs should be starting to wear off the turtle by now. She began making some soup that might be easy on his stomach, in case he hadn't eaten for a long time. She also went to work on something else for her family's lunch when Sam came in from doing his farm chores for the animals.

As Nina stirred the soup on the stove top, she asked her son, "Sam, can you go see if you can wake Leonardo up? It's time to try to get some food into him."

Sam was more than happy to oblige. There was so much more he wanted to know about the 'exotic' turtle. He went to his father's special room where Leo was still resting and could see that Leo had moved in his sleep, from his back to his right side. He went over to the sleeping turtle and began to nudge gently on his left shoulder.

Leo felt the nudging and figured it might have been one of his brothers. Normally, he never had to be forced to wake up. He was good about getting himself up for training in the mornings, but this nudging wouldn't go away.

"Leonardo, it's time to wake up."

The voice didn't sound like any of his family and through his sleepiness he found it strange to be called by his full name; usually only his father did that. He slowly opened his eyes and groaned.

Sam was happy that he was stirring, "Come on, wake up."

"What do you want?" Leo asked.

"My mother says that you need to try to eat something now." Sam said, "she has some soup being made for you."

Leo lifted his tired head and looked up at the boy, recognizing him as Sam. Why couldn't he be at home instead? He laid his head back down and groaned, "Alright."

"You need any help getting up?" Sam asked.

"I'll get there. I'm still sleepy from the herbs your father gave me." Leo said. "I just need to get my bearings."

"Yeah, they can leave you feeling tired." Sam agreed. "But I'm here to make sure you get up just fine."

Leo knew the young man wouldn't leave him alone. Slowly, and reluctantly, he moved himself from his side back to his shell. It was when he tried to get up that Sam lent a hand to him. He remembered he needed to get up slowly to not aggravate his injuries; feeling the bandages was enough to remind him of it.

"Take it easy." Sam said.

Leo now stood up on wobbly legs.

"Can you walk on your own?"

"I need to try." Leo said. He let go of Sam and he tried to take a few steps. He didn't feel too much pain right now, but he did feel a small sting in his leg when he tried putting weight on it. He gritted his teeth and kept going… he could take it - he had to in order to be out of here as soon as possible.

Sam was glad that the turtle was now up on his own, but when his mother came in, she was not pleased. Holding a tray full of food, Nina said sternly, "Sam! I told you to wake him up, not get him up! He needs to stay in bed for right now. Those stitches are still fresh."

"It's ok, I want to be up. I'm being careful." Leo said.

"Well Leonardo, you just need to be resting more for the time being. I got some soup for you to eat, but you're eating it in bed. Now get back in the bed, Mister." Nina ordered.

"I just needed to see if my legs still worked for me."

"Now."

"Better not to argue with her, Leonardo." Sam said, "Sorry Mom."

Leo knew he himself could act like a mother hen when he was worried about his own brothers. He saw the firm look in her eyes and figured he was best to take Sam's advice. He slowly sat back down on the bed and the youthful Indian helped lift his legs back up and cover him. Nina then brought the tray over to him and set it over his middle, placing the stands on either side of him. The aroma of the soup wafted up around Leo and it smelled good.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Just basic chicken soup, I made it myself." Nina told him. "It should go down pretty easy, since I have no idea when you last ate."

"It might have been yesterday, before my fight with Raph." Leo said, "I'm still getting used to homemade food again."

The turtle still wasn't too hungry, but he didn't want to disappoint the cook who made this effort for him… and it did smell good. He picked up the spoon and dipped it into the soup, lifting it to his mouth to taste it.

He couldn't believe his taste buds! This had to be the best natural chicken soup he had ever tasted!

"Mmm! This is really good soup! Thanks Nina." Leo praised.

"You're welcome, Leonardo." Nina smiled, "You need to get your strength back."

"You can call me Leo." He said between mouthfuls. Only special people were allowed to call him by his short name, and the Indian lady had sure made her way into his heart. She smiled as she watched the turtle eat, glad he liked her cooking.

Sam then asked, "What did you mean that you're getting used to homemade food again?"

Leo paused his eating, "I got back to New York just days ago from the Central American jungle. I was down there for nearly two years, training to be a better leader for my brothers, but now, this incident has put that on hold again." He looked down sadly, "I had to learn to eat a lot of exotic foods down in the jungle, very different to eating with my family."

"You must've missed them." Nina said thoughtfully.

Leo nodded, "I need to return to them as soon as I can."

"We'll see to it that we can find a way to contact your family, but you need to get well before you travel so you don't tear the stitches." Nina said.

"One of my brothers usually takes care of me." Leo replied, "I saw how good your stitches looked. It could just about be as good as his."

"As good?" Nina raised her brow skeptically.

Sam tried to hide his smile as he stood behind his mother. Clearly, Nina liked to be known as the best. Leo didn't want to offend her, but he also didn't want to down-talk Donny's master skill, so he added, "But you're a better cook."

A satisfied smile grew on Nina's face at this.

"Do they keep you in bed when you get injuries like this?" Sam asked.

"Not really, not when everything has been deemed alright and nothing pierced. I can walk around and do things, but I wouldn't be allowed to train until Donny thought it was alright." Leo explained, "Only if they are really bad, beyond what these are, would I have to stay in bed."

Nina looked at him curiously and asked, "How does your brother know how to stitch so well?"

"He taught himself."

"He must be very smart." Nina said looking impressed.

"He is." Leo smiled.

"What are your family's names?" Sam asked.

"Raphael – Raph - is the one I was in the fight with. Donatello is the smart one, and our family doctor. Michelangelo is our goofy baby brother. And Master Splinter is my sensei and adoptive father."

"So there are four more giant talking turtles out there?" Sam widened his eyes.

"Three, my father is a rat." Leo had to laugh, "It's a long story…"

Nina and Sam looked at each other in surprise while Leo kept talking, "And we also have some human friends who you could get in contact with, April O'Neil and Casey Jones in New York. They are like an additional brother and sister."

Now Nina and Sam understood a little more about Leo's family, but Nina was firm that Leo needed more rest before they would get in contact with them. Feeling defeated, Leo finished his soup and was allowed to go back to sleep, the herbs still making him drowsy. The last thought he had was of his family and he hoped they were okay.


	5. Chapter 5

Leo was allowed to sleep until supper that night. Nina had prepared venison for dinner, as Alo and his sons had gone hunting for deer that afternoon while Leo was sleeping. The boys had cleaned themselves up for dinner, and Jacob went to wake up the turtle at this time. 

Leo was already beginning to stir and he could hear the footsteps approaching, his senses on alert now. 

As Jacob came so close to Leo to nudge his shoulder, a hand suddenly snapped out and grabbed his arm.

“Ahhhh! Leo! It’s me, Jacob!” The young boy shrieked in surprise. 

Leo now opened his eyes and saw it was the Indian boy and he let go of him. “Sorry Jacob. My instincts just kicked in and thought you were an enemy.” Leo explained.

Jacob’s family came running when they had heard the boy’s cry of surprise. 

“What happened, Jacob?” Alo demanded.

“I was just about to wake Leo up and he went for me.” Jacob said, still in shock that Leo had done that.

“Did he hurt you?” Alo asked alarmingly.

“No, Dad, he just grabbed me.”

“Leonardo, don’t you even think about hurting my son.” Alo said in a growly voice as he glared at him.

“I would never mean to hurt him, Sir. It was more out of reflex. My ninja training has refined my instincts to be alert. I am truly sorry.” Leo replied in earnest. 

Though this man and his family had taken him in and treated his wounds, Leo couldn’t help being a little wary. And he could see that Alo was wary of him, uncertain if Leo could still be a potential threat to his family.

“Then we need to be more careful around you. Only when it is time to call you, will we wake you. And we will do so from a distance from now on.” The Indian father said firmly. He then turned to his sons, “Is that understood, boys?” 

“Yes, Dad.” Sam and Jacob said in unison. 

Leo knew that would probably be for the best, not wanting to make an enemy of this family who could’ve killed him while in his unconscious state. He knew he had to be grateful for the care they’d given him instead. Then the smell of food suddenly aroused his senses. 

“So uh, hey, what’s for dinner?” He gave a little chuckle and tried to change the subject. 

Alo still eyed the turtle warily, but Nina spoke up. “Venison. I’ll be bringing it to you the same way I did your last meal. You are to stay in bed, Leo.” 

“Come on boys, dinnertime.” Alo announced and his sons filed out of the room, along with his compassionate wife. 

Leo didn’t want to outstay his welcome and he had to wonder how long Alo could put up with him. His constant watchful eye was starting to bother him. He wasn’t used to this distrust. 

Before too long, Nina came in with a tray full of food. Since Leo had kept the chicken soup down, the nurturing woman was sure that he could keep this venison down too. “You think you can handle this tray by yourself so that I can go eat with my family?” She asked. 

“Yes. Thanks, Nina. I’ll be fine.” Leo insisted politely.

Nina left the room to go back to the kitchen to eat with her family. Leo was sure he was going to enjoy this venison as he knew Nina was a good cook. He slowly ate the food; it was just as tasty as he expected. While he ate, his thoughts drifted more and more to his family. With the way Alo was wary of him, Leo knew it was for the best to try and get back on his feet and get home as soon as possible. 

He swallowed his last mouthful and moved the tray off himself. He shifted on the bed to put it down on the floor as he kept thinking. But what now? 

He was now fully awake and felt quite refreshed. He wanted to get up and move, despite the dull ache in his side. Nina came back in for the tray soon after. That’s when Leo took his chance to speak up. 

“Nina, thank you for dinner. It was wonderful.” He gave her a gracious smile and asked, “Can I get up now? I really feel quite rested.” 

“I still think you need to be in bed for another day or two so the stitches can settle, so no.” Nina shook her head. She picked up the tray of dishes and took them out of the room, not giving Leo any opportunity to debate his case.

Another day or two in bed? Without something to do, Leo felt he would go out of his mind. To his relief, the boys came back before long to chat some more. Their curiosity of the tough ninja turtle was growing each day. 

“So why did you snatch my little brother’s hand anyway?” Sam asked, feeling like he needed to protect Jacob in a way.

“Reflex.” Leo said again.

“Ninja reflex!” Jacob whispered playfully as he tried to give Sam a karate chop.

Leo smiled and admitted, “Actually, it’s more than that. I might’ve thought I was back home and my baby brother was disturbing me again. He’s always playing pranks on us so you learn to be alert at all times.”

“What kind of pranks?” Jacob grinned.

“All kinds. We never know what he’s going to do to us, that’s his genius.” Leo’s smile grew, “And he always needs his older brothers to entertain him.” 

“You did say Michelangelo was a goofball.” Sam recalled.

“We call him Mikey for short.” Leo told him, “And yes, he’s like a big kid.” 

“How old are you anyway?” Jacob asked. 

“Eighteen, though I feel much older at times.” Leo paused and he had to say, “Your father seems to think I’m not trustworthy. I know how he feels in that respect. I often worry about my brothers, especially Raph.”

Sam tilted his head, “Why?”

“He’s the hot-head and wants to do things his own way too much.” Leo replied, “So I know how your dad is feeling right now.”

“But do you think you can get out of bed, even though our mom says no?” Jacob asked.

“I think so These injuries aren’t that bad, thanks to her treatment.” Leo replied. “I would love to get up and train, but I won’t risk opening up the stitches.” 

“Maybe if you get up, we can at least just let you walk around the house.” Sam said thoughtfully. “Though our parents call the shots.” 

“Your mom said another day or two in bed to let my stitches settle.” Leo told him.

“How do they feel right now?” Sam asked. 

“Fine.” Leo said, though he ignored the pain in his lower stomach from when he had to move earlier to put the tray on the floor. 

“So tell us more about your brothers.” Jacob insisted. 

Leo smiled as the boys sat down on the edge of his bed and listened to stories of their adventures. They talked for a while, telling Leo about their own hunting adventures before they finally had to go out and do some evening chores before bed.   
……….

Donny knew that trying to find the river that the Foot had thrown Leo into was going to be tricky. The man they’d caught hadn’t known which area in Maine Leo had been taken to. Being no more help, they knocked him out cold and started their journey. 

Don was certain of many rivers within the region and inspected a map carefully.

Raphael was struggling with his guilt for turning his back on his brother too soon, not realizing what would happen. If he’d stayed, Leo would have stood a chance of escape from the Foot. Even when they were fighting with each other, the turtles always had each other’s backs. 

Mikey was worried about his oldest brother too, and was hoping Donny could find their answer. This was going to be tough without Leo having his phone on him to track. 

Master Splinter tried to keep calm as well. He could only hope that his oldest son would try to make contact with them as soon as possible - if he was still alive. But the Foot soldier had said he was dead. The family couldn’t believe him, not until they found a body, and Master Splinter had a strong instinct that Leonardo was still alive. He could sense him. 

Donnie found and printed out an area of northern Maine, and he showed the others. “I suggest we go there and start at the bottom of these rivers and we try each one of them.” 

“What are we waiting for? Let’s get movin’! Leo could be in terrible danger!” Raph said, determined to get out there. 

Don brought the map with him, and he and Raph and Mikey piled into their van and began the long trip to Maine to try to find their brother. They had their phones with them. Splinter wished them luck. He would also still try to contact Leo through meditation.  
………..

Leo wished there was more to do in this room than just lay in bed. He’d had a lot of meditation time, but that wasn’t enough; he wished there was some books to read or something. Talking to his new young friends was entertaining, but they weren’t in here at the moment. 

He tried to settle down for the night after Alo came in and blew out the candles, telling him it was time for bed. It wasn’t easy to sleep when he had slept most of the day. What he really wanted to do was talk to someone or do something. He kept thinking about the others, but eventually went to sleep again. 

The next morning, Leo’s usual morning instincts kicked in and he woke up early like always. He was itching to get up and train. He pulled the blankets down and the bandages around him instantly reminded him of his injuries. Despite them, Leo got to his feet. Besides, the sooner he was back in top form, the sooner he could leave. He would just do some arm and leg forms, since he knew he was sword-less. He simply couldn’t stay bedridden any longer. 

He had been training for more than an hour when Nina walked in to wake him up. She gasped when she saw that Leo was up and doing some moves. 

“Leonardo!” She snarled his name. 

Leo stopped what he was doing and looked at her, “Oh! Hi, Nina.” 

“I told you to stay in bed.” Nina said angrily. 

“Look Nina, I’m sorry, but I just can’t. My injuries are fine and I made sure not to do anything that would pull the stitches out.” He sighed before adding, “I’m just so used to getting up in the mornings and having to train and meditate before breakfast.” 

“I see.” Nina placed her hands on her hips, “But you are under my care, Leonardo, and if I see that the injuries are opened up, you are going right back into bed.”

Leo nodded respectfully and the Indian lady gestured him closer and said, “I need to see the injuries, and if they don’t look too bad, then I suppose you can be up and about, but still don’t stress the injuries.” 

“Thanks.” 

They sat down on the bed and Nina undid the bandages to have a look. They didn’t appear too bad, but still needed to be covered to prevent infection. Quietly, she redressed his wounds. 

“They don’t look too bad, Leo.” Nina said and she smiled, “So, would you like to join us for breakfast then?” 

“Sure.” Leo smiled, grateful to be out of the bed.   
………..

Alo was shocked when Nina came out to the kitchen followed by Leonardo. He was sure the turtle had been ordered to stay in bed.

“Nina, what’s going on? Why isn’t he in bed?” Alo demanded.

“I found him up and moving about his room.” Nina gave a disapproving look and then lightened a bit, “But his wounds are okay, so I suggested that he join us for breakfast this morning.”

“That’s cool!” Jacob exclaimed.

“Yeah, it would be nice to see Leo in action later!” Sam added. 

“Thanks guys, but I can’t do too much training just yet. It’s too soon, at least with my side still sore.” Leo said. 

“There will be no ninja training in this house, Leonardo. Is that clear?” Alo demanded. “I don’t want any mess in here.” 

“Yes Sir.” Leo replied. “I can do it outside.” 

“Cool!” Jacob said. “I can’t wait!” 

“Leonardo is not leaving the house yet.” Alo said. “He still needs to heal.” 

“I think I’ll be just fine, Alo.” Leo insisted, “I’ll be careful.”

Alo frowned at him while Nina brought over the breakfast.

“Alright guys, that’s enough. I’m not keen on Leo moving too soon either, but he’s okay for now. For today, he just stays in the house.” She announced.

“Awww!” Jacob whined. 

“Maybe tomorrow then.” Sam said hopefully.

Leo did as he was told. He stayed inside for the rest of the day and explored the house, looking it over. Many things about their home seemed quite fascinating to him. Many artifacts and hand-made crafts and he even found an interesting book about the history of Penobscot Indians. 

Alo kept a wary eye on the turtle though, still finding it hard to trust a ninja. Especially one that was a type of creature he’d never seen before.   
……….

The next day, Leo felt even better and was thrilled when the Indian elders allowed him outside after breakfast. 

Feeling satisfied with the progress of Leo’s healing, Nina had agreed quite happily. 

Leo intended to show Sam and Jacob some of his basic ninja moves. Alo was not keen at all and it took Nina to talk him around. The boys were already waiting outside when Alo grabbed Leo by the arm, stopping him before the door.

“You just behave yourself with my sons, Leonardo.” He warned. 

Leo could see the serious look in the man’s eyes. “I would never harm them Alo. You have my word.”

Wrinkles creased around the Indian’s face as he furrowed his brow and said, “How do I know that you can be trusted?”

“Because I am a turtle of honor.” Leo replied seriously. He didn’t waver from Alo’s stare and he insisted, “My word is my truth and my intentions are pure.”

Alo continued to analyze him and Leo tried to reassure him, “The sooner I’m up and well again, the sooner I’ll be out of here and back to my family.” 

“Leo, come on!” Jacob called. 

Alo lightened his grip and they walked towards the door. His expression was still firm as he warned, “I’m watching you, Leonardo.” 

Leo eased himself out of the Indian’s fingers. He couldn’t wait to get out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

The trip was dead silent as the three brothers made the long drive to northern Maine in the turtle van. Each one was lost in their own thoughts, consumed by fear for their older brother's fate.

Mikey was quite agitated, shuffling restlessly as his stomach swirled with horrible thoughts of life without Leonardo.

As Don drove, his thoughts mulled over the map they'd examined and what the most plausible route would be to start their search.

Raph's lips were drawn tight as his mind swept back and forth over replays of the fight, the last minutes spent with his big brother. The tight knot that had twisted in his stomach simply refused to give way. He would do absolutely anything to be able to take it all back. If Leo wasn't okay, he would never forgive himself.

Donnie finally let out a huff as Mikey squirmed for the hundredth time. "Mikey, would you just sit still please."

"I can't!" The baby turtle protested, "This is taking way too long!"

"I'm going as fast as I can." Don muttered, narrowing his eyes at the road.

"But what if something happens before we find him? What if that Foot dude was telling the truth?"

"Shut up Mikey." Raph snapped from behind him.

Mikey spun around in his seat and glowered at his older brother, "This is all your fault, Raph!"

Raph's glare suddenly subsided and he turned his face away. His voice was barely audible when he mumbled, "Don't you think I know that?"

"If you kept your stupid temper in check, Leo would be with us right now, safe-"

"Quiet, Mikey." Don quickly cut him off. He took his eyes of the road for a second to give Mikey a stern look. "What's done is done. If we're going to find Leo, we need to stick together as a team."

Mikey gazed back at Don while his brother turned his attention back to the road. With a soft sigh, he sank further back in his seat. He knew Donnie was right, but he just couldn't stop fretting. He swiveled his head to Raph and mumbled, "Sorry bro."

Raph's amber eyes were glazed with remorse and he gave a subtle nod. He turned his head to the side window and stared at the greenery that flashed by. His voice was strained as he murmured, "Not as sorry as I am."

The van was consumed with silence again and Donnie pushed his foot down harder on the accelerator.

They were going to find Leo even if they had to look through all the rivers in Maine.

….

"Cool!" Jacob was chuckling hard as Leo flipped sideways, side-stepping Sam's mock attack.

His foot swept out and tripped Sam, but the turtle zipped his hand out and caught the teenage Indian before his body made impact with the ground. Sam was grinning, his body hovering above the grass while his younger brother laughed harder.

Leo slowly raised him back to his feet and Jacob exclaimed, "You shoulda let him fall face-first!"

"This is just a demonstration." Leo said seriously. He kept his eyes on them, but he was aware of Alo in his peripheral vision, watching warily from the doorway.

"I wouldn't be so mouthy if I were you." Sam grumbled to Jacob as he wiped his hands on his jeans. "It's your turn now."

Jacob eagerly leapt up from the log he'd been perched on. He sprang across the grass excitedly and insisted to the turtle, "I could pick up some sticks for us to fight with!"

"A true warrior must first master the art of hand-to-hand combat." Leo replied. A wry smile then grew on his face, "Besides, I think your mother wouldn't be too pleased."

Jacob's smile slowly faded and he grumbled, "Okay, okay."

Without warning, he clenched his hand and threw out his fist, a smirk quickly returning to his face. Leo immediately ducked and his torso pulled backwards as the second hand swung at him. His body swiveled and in lightning speed, he was behind the boy, pinning his body up against him in a vice grip.

Sam laughed loudly in taunting retaliation to his brother's previous teasing. Jacob frowned as Leo patted his shoulder and let him go. He spun around, feeling more determined than ever to prove he had the makings of a warrior. He cart-wheeled around the turtle and threw out his foot, gaining a kick into the thick emerald leg.

Leo raised an impressed eye-ridge and Jacob swung his arm again, but Leo zipped past him. He twisted down, sliding his shell onto the grass as his foot came up and wrapped around the back of Jacob's knees. With a quick tug, he pulled the young boy off his feet, catching him against his torso as he landed. He bit back his grunt as pain started to throb in his side, knowing he was pushing it a little.

Jacob squirmed against his plastron and Leo gently flipped him onto the grass. He hovered over the boy, keeping him captive and smiled smugly, "Gotcha!"

Sam was laughing even louder now and Jacob rolled his eyes. Feeling Alo's eyes boring into his shell, Leo leapt off the boy and held out his hand to help him back to his feet.

Jacob frowned when he saw Leo's hand graze tenderly down his side. "Are you sore?"

"It's okay." Leo lied.

"When you get better, we'll take you hunting with us." Sam said as he got up from the log, "Then you will see what we can do."

"Yeah!" Jacob's eyes widened with confidence, "I bet we can teach you a thing or two."

Leo couldn't hold back his smile at the two Indian boys he now considered his friends. Their playful bantering really made him miss his own brothers. As much as they teased him at times for being so serious, he knew his brothers looked up to him. They always followed his lead without question. Even though Raph challenged him, it was because he strived to be the best. The fact that he constantly sought to outdo Leo, was a compliment in a strange way – he considered Leo the best.

But Leo knew he could never be his best without his brothers. They each had great qualities that helped him grow. The more time he spent with these Indian boys, the more he realized just how important his brothers were to him.

With a wistful smile, Leo replied, "I'm sure you can."

With the way that Alo was watching him though, Leo finally decided that that was enough for now. Sam and Jacob wanted to see more, but it could be done later. Now it was time for them to do chores before going hunting. Leo wanted to help them out as a chance to stay away from Alo. Their father worried him even though he had promised that his sons were safe with him.

The weather was quite pleasant and it was rare to have so much opportunity to be out in the daylight, unlike the city. Leo followed the boys around their farm. He watched them collect eggs and feed the chickens, feed and groom their horses and feed their dogs that were outside. The dogs were used as alarms about any wildlife or strangers that approached the house. After that, they fed some cats in the barn.

The family just had the two horses for the boys. Now that Leo was awake, the equines were more alert and nervous around the walking turtle. Jacob showed him his horse, the little bay pinto that was named Comanche. And the big grey that was Sam's horse was named Dalton. They explained that it had been their names when the geldings were bought.

When the chores were finally finished, Sam and Jacob tacked up the horses as they prepared to go hunting. Sam went and got the guns. Leo wanted to go, but Nina declared that he still wasn't well enough. He would remain here at least until the end of the week, when he could get the stitches out. Leo followed the boys to the post where they mounted up and took off. Now what?

The turtle went back to the house and see if there was anything he could help the parents with. There wasn't much else to do around here, but then he thought about writing a letter to his family. It would give him something to do and he was anxious to get in touch with them. He had to let them know that he was alive and well.

He hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen where the Indian woman was preparing vegetables for lunch. He watched her quietly for a moment as her knife sliced and tapped against the chopping board.

"Nina?" He finally asked.

Nina paused her cutting to glance at him, "Yes, Leo?"

"I need to send word to my family to let them know I'm alive and safe." Leo explained.

"Sure. Alo's got pen and paper in his study." Nina said. She placed down the knife and wiped her hands on a towel before leading the turtle to the study room.

It was a small room, only dimly lit with the sunlight that filtered around the edges of the drawn curtains. The walls were covered with an assortment of artifacts and old photos. There was a distinct fragrance of incense and wood. In one corner lay a stack of woven baskets.

Nina drew back the curtains so the warm light filled the room. Leo scanned the photos on the wall. There were various pictures of the area, some looking quite dated. He leaned closer to view one of Alo; he appeared quite younger, standing tall and proud with several other Indian men around him. Leo noticed their clothes looked quite traditional. Leo's eyes then drifted to another photo that showed Alo with some game he'd captured while hunting. He looked fierce and determined in this photo, just as Leo had come to know him.

Nina was peering over his shoulder now and said, "Alo was always the best hunter in these parts."

Leo nodded and she pointed to the other picture he'd seen of Alo with the men. She explained, "Many men of our tribe look to him for guidance."

"Can I ask why you live here alone and not with your tribe?" Leo asked curiously.

Nina stared at the picture and explained, "Alo is a private man, he treasures his solitude," she then turned to Leo, "He will always be there to provide for the tribe and help them. But his main priority is to protect his family."

Leo nodded again. He understood this more than Nina realized. He turned for the table and then saw the weapon that hung on the far wall. He curiously stepped over to view the double bow. It appeared to measure 68 inches from tip to tip, with a second bow attached behind the first. The whole thing seemed to be made out wood.

"One of Alo's most prized weapons," Nina explained.

Leo drew a light finger over it and mumbled, "It's an interesting design."

"It is a design that dates back 500 years," Nina claimed proudly, "It was created to give maximum power with less hand shock. The two bows work together and the second gives more flexibility to match the weight of whatever arrows you use."

"It's impressive." Leo continued to eye the weapon.

"It's design gives speed, power, and accuracy," Nina replied. "Something my husband mastered a long time ago."

Although Leo wasn't overly fond of Alo, he had to respect what he was learning about him. He was beginning to think they had more in common than he'd first thought. The Indian woman now gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder and turned back to the table. She got him some pen and paper and an envelope, and allowed Leo to sit down to write his letter. She then went back to the kitchen to continue cooking lunch. She would change Leo's bandages a little later on.

Leo was now happy to have a little privacy from Alo's constant watch, even though this was another of his rooms. He got down to business writing his letter, assuring them he was fine and letting them know about the family who had rescued him. When he picked up his envelope, he put the letter in and sealed it. He then scrawled April and Casey's address on the front.

He ventured back into the kitchen to get their address from Nina, and he added his name to the top so his human friends wouldn't mistake it for junk mail.

Although the Indian family rarely went into town, Alo took the letter to the local post office for Leo that afternoon. Leo began to relax then, knowing the communication was finally on its way to his family to let them know his whereabouts.


	7. Chapter 7

Later in the evening before bedtime, Nina wanted to inspect Leo's injuries again, to check for any damage that may have resulted in his "playing" with her sons earlier. She was not happy with the state of Leo's side injury.

"Leonardo, you were not supposed to be doing those kinds of moves so soon!" Nina scolded him, "You tore out two stitches! Now I have to do them again."

Leo gulped at her chilling tone, "Sorry, it was just fun to be up and about again."

"Just for that, you are going to be in bed again for a full day to let these new stitches settle." Nina declared.

She had her patch up kit with her and Leo was now laying on his right side so Nina could sew up the spots where the stitches had pulled out. Once she was done with him, she confined him to bed, making him feel like a child being punished.

When Nina left the room, she approached her sons and said sternly. "Sam and Jacob, I know you love having Leonardo here, but he was exercising too heavily too soon. He tore out two stitches," she paused to eye them both warily and said, "You will just have to wait until he gets his stitches out before he shows you any more moves. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mom." The boys said in unison.

"Until then, just be his friend. Do small activities together, Leo is not to do any sudden moves as I don't want to sew him up again so soon." Nina concluded.

Leo stared up at the ceiling as he listened to Nina in the hallway as she gave her sons orders. He was able to accept the punishment in this instance, knowing he had pushed himself too hard. He didn't want to be in bed all the time, but what choice did he have when he was under Nina's care?

Don wasn't here right now, so Nina had to be his doctor instead. The sudden thought of his brother caused him to sigh. But at least for a day or two, Leo was able to enjoy being out of bed, showing off his moves to his new friends. But it had gotten carried away and the new stitches were now costing him time. He tried to settle his growing anxiety as he thought about his family before drifting off to dreamland.

…..

Leo's brothers spent days scouring every river in northern Maine they came across. They slept in the van only when they grew tired, feeding off the cans of food they'd brought for the trip. Each evening ended in quiet remorse, but they weren't going to give up, no matter what.

They were a few days into their fruitless search when Mikey flung his arms to his side in exasperation, "This is hopeless!"

Don paused amid the vegetation just in front of him and sighed, "We can't quit, Mikey."

"Hey, I'll never quit," Mikey protested, "But we don't even know if he's alive!"

"He's alive," came Raph's firm voice. They turned their head sideways to their larger brother, who was crouched down by the water's edge several feet away. He stared fixedly at the shimmering water and mumbled, "I can feel it."

He craned his head over his shoulder to find Donny was nodding, "Me too."

Raph slowly rose to his feet as Mikey shuffled and said anxiously, "Well, we're not getting anywhere here. I mean, how many rivers have we searched already?"

"Leo wouldn't stick to the river," Raph answered with certainty.

He gazed at Don who was nodding again, "I had that same thought. He would've gone looking for resources."

"But he wouldn't hang around the towns for long either," Raphael voiced Don's next thought.

The purple clad turtle agreed and then said, "So perhaps we should be targeting the isolated homes and farm houses?"

Raph peered over at Mikey, who was eagerly nodding his head to the idea. Mikey turned to their intelligent brother and starting probing him with more questions as Raph gazed up at the sky.

The sun shone full in the cloudless blue sky, stretching its bright beam across the horizon. A single dark shape of a bird suddenly flew across, shadowing its fierce ray. Raphael squinted at the hawk as it soared across the sky and without even realizing, he started to follow it.

…..

A few days later, Leo's injuries seemed to be nearly healed. Nina insisted on just one more day, then she would remove the stitches from his side. The injuries to his arm and leg were healing much faster.

Since his 'punishment' for pulling the stitches out, Leo's activities were limited to farm chores with the boys and helping Nina in the kitchen while her sons went hunting. He used this time to tell the Indian woman more about his family. It eased his nerves significantly to talk about them and Nina seemed genuinely interested.

Alo still kept a distance from the turtle, watching him to make sure he didn't hurt his sons. And even though Leo felt he'd proven no malicious intent, Alo still appeared wary.

….

In New York, a letter came to April and Casey's address, marked with Leo's name on it. It was an address they were unfamiliar with, but the sight of Leo's name urged April to open it up immediately. There were obviously still high hopes that he was alive.

She read anxiously as Leo explained that he was alive and well. He had gotten some injuries while fighting the Foot, but a nice Indian family had found him and taken him in, nursing him back to health. Her eyes scanned down to the bottom of the page where Leo gave their address, but was unable to offer any further directions.

April knew the brothers had gone to Maine and immediately called them, and Don answered his cell.

"Yes, April?" He said.

"Donny! I have a letter here from Leo!" April practically yelled into the phone.

"What?!" Don's voice was full of shock.

"Leo's alive! He's in northern Maine, probably where you guys are now and I can give you an address."

"Excellent! Okay, what's the address?"

She gave the address to Don and she could hear him fumbling for something to write on. She could also hear Mikey and Raph's anxious questioning in the background.

"Thanks April. We'll find it." Don said hastily.

"What was that about?" Mikey insisted the second Don hung up his phone.

"Leo's alive, guys! April got a letter from him!" Don shouted excitedly.

Raph and Mikey grinned widely, slapping each other's shells in joy.

"Where is he?!" Raph demanded.

"At this address." Don said and handed him the paper.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get him!" Raph grinned.

"I'll need to check the map to see if we can pinpoint the location," Don informed them.

"I've got a feeling it'll be that way," Raph pointed to the East, in the direction he'd last seen the hawk.

"Why?" Mikey scrunched up his face.

"Gut feeling," Raph shrugged. They hurried to the van and pulled out the map as Don put the pedal to the metal. They would search no matter how long it took.

….

The next day, Nina removed all of Leo's stitches and he was glad to finally be free of them. Some scars would remain, but he would hardly notice them. If anything, he'd have something to show off to Raph the next time he started bragging about his own battle wounds.

Without the bandages, Leo was able to put his gear back on and was starting to feel like his old self again, though his sword sheaths felt strangely light without his katanas. But that didn't matter, he would get more swords when he was reunited with his family.

Now that Leo was almost fully recovered, he began to show Sam and Jacob some more full-blown ninja moves. The boys were fascinated with what Leo was able to do, but with Alo watching him, Leo made sure not to include Sam and Jacob in the rough and tumble ninja exercises, only including them in the more gentle ones.

During one of these practice sessions, Sam told Leo that he and Jacob wanted to take him on a hunting trip now that he was well enough. It was something Leo had quite been looking forward to.

"You boys are not going without me." Alo insisted firmly.

Leo knew the Indian man was only accompanying them to keep an eye on him, but he wasn't about to argue. One thing Master Splinter had taught him was to respect his elders. Besides, there were dangerous animals in these parts that he'd never experienced before, so the more of them, the better.

Sam and Jacob were extremely excited as they gathered the supplies. They were going to go after a huge buck deer if they could find one and they were bringing along a horse to carry the deer home. Alo wanted to show the turtle what kind of a hunter he was, so he ended up bringing the bow that Leo had admired in his study earlier in the week. He also took with him a special pronged fishing spear.

Leo might also be given a chance to shoot a deer, or just shoot at targets, but he was happy to be going regardless. Once everything was ready, Nina waved them off. With all the stock they had packed, it made Leo wonder if they were going on a camping trip versus a hunting trip for the day.

"Excuse me, Alo, but are we going camping or hunting?" Leo asked the Indian father as he curiously eyed all the gear.

"Since my sons have been so excited about taking you on a hunting trip, Nina and I agreed we would take you on a hunting camping trip for two days," Alo explained, "It also gives us enough time to find a trophy buck."

Leo's initial reaction was anxious. What if his brothers came for him during the time he was away? But he shrugged off this feeling, knowing they still needed the time to travel to northern Maine after they got his letter. He was now pleased to be spending some time with his new friends, but still uncomfortable with Alo's watchful gaze. He hoped that Alo would see him as no threat by now and get to know him a bit better. Perhaps this trip was just the bonding time they needed.

The turtle and Indians were now packed up with water, weapons, and some small snacks to eat during their camping trip. With the horse, Dalton by their side, they all set out on what they expected to be a thrilling adventure.


	8. Chapter 8

What promised to be a thrilling adventure certainly delivered.

The Indians and Leo spent their days exploring the pine forest, moving covertly through the trees while they hunted. Leo was impressed by Alo's silent approach and the graceful use of his bow. He moved with the stealth of a ninja, but had methods that seemed to be in a class of his own.

Sometimes he'd wait for an extraordinary length of time for the precise moment to use his bow and arrow. When the animal was taken down, his sons would venture forward to assist. Other times, Alo would be more hands-on, remaining poised in the shrubs before springing an attack, catching his prey by surprise. It was very early into the trip when they caught the trophy buck they'd set out for.

The nights were spent around the campfire, gazing up at the stars as Leo exchanged life stories with the boys. The smell of fresh soil and green vegetation was refreshing, making him feel better than he'd experienced in a long time.

It was another clear sunny day when they emerged from the trees to a nearby river. The water was glistening iridescently and Leo was tempted to dive straight in. But he held back, judging by the tool in Alo's hand, he had other intentions. His eyes roamed quickly over the pronged spear that appeared custom made. "Are we going fishing?"

Alo simply nodded in response. He tiptoed into the water, moving cautiously so as not to make too many ripples. When he'd settled into waist-high water, he held his arm up high, hovering above the surface. Again, he demonstrated his powers of patience, watching the water with a steady eye.

Eventually, the water splashed as his arm jerked down and the spear jabbed into the waves. He thrust a second time and then raised his arm, retrieving his spear with a fish on its prongs.

Leo stepped aside as Alo tossed the flapping fish onto the embankment. He then gestured to Sam to come and take over.

As the Indian man emerged from the water, his eldest son turned to Leo and asked, "Wanna have a try Leo?"

"Definitely," Leo nodded.

He moved slowly through the water, careful not to disrupt their surroundings too much. He stopped when he reached Sam's side. The teenager passed him the spear and then shuffled behind him, raising his hands to Leo's arms to instruct him.

For a long time they just stared silently through the gentle waves while the fish started to swim closer. Finally, Sam announced, "Now!"

He gave Leo an encouraging push on his arm and he drove down the spear. He could feel its impact when he caught his target. When he pulled out the fish, Jacob was cheering in the background. Most of the morning was spent with them taking turns in fishing.

When they'd had enough, they passed the spear back to Alo, who took over in the water. He kept his back turned to them as he eyed the bottom of the river for the next catch. Sam and Jacob talked excitedly to Leo as they crouched down to pile their catch into a bucket.

The low growl that rumbled from the depth of the forest caused Leo's ears to prick, though his friends didn't hear it over their chatter. Picking up a bone knife that was lying next to the bucket, Leo stood up and slowly edged to the trees towards the noise.

The teenage boys had started teasing each other playfully, oblivious to the turtle's movements. Jacob picked up the bucket of fish and swung it in his arm as he started to head back to their campsite. He kept his head turned over his shoulder while he retorted back to Sam's joke.

There was a snap. Leo flicked his head sideways and moved quickly as a large bear came charging out of the trees at the youngest boy. Jacob swiveled his head around and screamed as the ferocious animal ran for him. He sprang backwards, colliding into Sam and they both fell to the ground. Alo spun around and dropped his spear as he hastily ran out of the water.

While all this was happening, Leo leapt in the air, landing hard on the animal's back. Bones crunched as he gripped around its neck and with lightning speed, he plunged the knife down into the animal's cartilage. The bear howled and wrestled as the turtle continued to fight him. As it started to collapse backwards, Leo dug his feet into its back and flipped off him before he could be crushed under the large animal.

The second his feet touched the ground, he pounced back on the animal with the knife ready to use if necessary. The animal no longer made a noise as it lay there still. All Leo could hear now was Jacob crying as Sam gripped onto him. Alo was hastily by their side, pulling his youngest son into his chest as tight as he could. His eyes were alert, strands of his hair blowing around his face with panicked breath.

Leo inhaled deeply as he put the knife onto the grass and inspected the wild animal. It appeared to be a male black bear, probably trying to protect his territory. Or it had been attracted to the fish. Either way, it was no longer a threat.

He looked over at the Indian man, who was still calming his sons. With his chin resting on Jacob's head, Alo raised his eyes and locked gazes with Leo. A moment of reverent understanding passed between them and Alo gently nodded his head in thanks. Without a word, Leo nodded back.

…..

It had taken another day of driving in the van, but Don finally found the address that April had given him from Leo's letter.

"Looks like a nice place to live out here." Mikey said and the three turtles looked at the house and surrounding area.

"I wonder where Leo is." Don thought aloud.

"He's probably inside waiting for us. Let's go get our brother." Raph muttered impatiently. With that, they all leapt out of their seats. They started to move cagily around the van when Donatello simply broke into an open stride.

"What the shell ya doin'?" Raph hissed, still in a stealth position.

"Clearly we're no secret to them," Don reasoned, "What's the point in being sneaky about it?"

"Ya just gonna stroll up to the front door?" Raph frowned, "It could be a trap!"

"If it weren't for these people, our brother would probably be dead," Don replied over his shoulder.

Raph exchanged glances with Mikey, who simply shrugged and stood up straight. He followed Don with a light skip in his walk. With a low grumble, Raph slotted his sais back in his belt, but kept his grip on the handles as he reluctantly followed them.

Not knowing when the boys would be back, Nina decided to cook a small meal for herself. She poked her head up from the stove when she started to hear the dogs barking outside. They only barked when there was company around. She put her stuff aside and went to check out what was going on. She was already heading for the door when someone knocked on it so she went to see who it was.

Standing outside were three more humanoid turtles. These must be Leonardo's brothers she had heard so much about. She opened up the door with a warm smile.

"Hello." Nina greeted.

Seeing Nina's welcome reaction was all the confirmation Don needed.

"Hi Ma'am. We don't mean to trouble you or anything, but we were given this address to help find our missing brother, Leonardo. Is he here?" Don asked. "He's been missing for a week."

"Yes, he was here." Nina replied.

"Was?" Mikey asked cautiously.

"Where is he now?" Raph demanded.

"He's coming back. My husband and sons took him camping and hunting for two days. They are due back tomorrow, though I don't know when." Nina explained.

"He's obviously feeling better then," Don sighed with relief.

Nina nodded with another smile. She opened the door wider and held her hand up in invitation, "Won't you come in and make yourselves at home until they get back. I'm making some dinner and you all look hungry."

"I'm starved!" Mikey grinned.

Don thanked her courteously and stepped through the doorway, followed by his two brothers. Nina gestured them to the dinner table and Raph peered around warily as Nina explained to them about how they come to rescue their brother.

When dinner was served, Nina sat down with the three turtles as they told their stories. They were pleased to hear how much Nina already seemed to know about them from what Leo had told her. Now Nina intended to find out more about them from their perspectives.

…..

With nerves calmed and a full dinner in their stomachs, the teenage boys finally fell asleep, but Leo was still wide awake. He felt a little awkward being alone with Alo now, but the older man soon eased things by brewing tea. He passed Leo a steaming mug and he took it graciously.

As he took a sip, Alo offered his hip-flask to put in a drop of alcohol as a nightcap.

Leo shook his head politely, "I don't drink."

"Wise choice," Alo grunted as he put the flask down, neglecting his own tea.

"I just don't like it," Leo replied honestly, "Besides, as an older brother, I feel I should lead by example."

Alo nodded, "Sometimes it's the best way to send a message."

"That's how I feel with everything I do."

Alo leaned back against a log and peered at the turtle curiously, "You seem mature far beyond your years."

"I guess that comes with leadership. I need to remain clear headed and observant at all times," Leo then sighed, "Though I don't think my brothers always get the message… one in particular."

"The brother you spoke of before?"

"Yes," Leo nodded, knowing Alo knew he was referring to Raph.

"Tell me about him." Alo insisted.

"I already have," Leo frowned.

The elder shook his head and said, "Tell me about him, as you honestly see him."

Taking a deep breath, Leo started to tell Alo everything he knew and thought of Raph. All their experiences together, good and bad, all the challenges they embraced together and the talks they shied away from. Once he got started, he couldn't stop. It felt good to open up to someone who had no emotional ties to the family.

"So you see," Leo finally sighed, "Though we are a great alliance, it can be difficult with how different we are."

"On the contrary," Alo finally spoke. "You sound more alike than you differ."

"With all due respect, you hardly know me," Leo responded.

The side of Alo's lip twitched in threat of a smile and he asked, "Can I share something with you, Leonardo?"

"Of course."

"In my culture, we believe in many animal spirit guides," Alo stretched out his legs as he began to explain, "Your tale make me think of two in particular."

"Yes?" Leo urged, now very intrigued.

"One is the hawk, who are messengers. They enable us to live a full life by using opportunities wisely to overcome problems. They give courage, even with every day decisions. The hawk can teach you to soar while keeping you down to earth, granting you a broader perspective. They are known to give us warning when it's time for action, or when to hold back when we do not yet have the information we need."

Leo crossed his legs together as he listened more intently. Alo's expression grew serious as he went on, "However, people sometimes misunderstand the hawk, yet the hawk will continue to deliver its message as it feels bound by duty. People can be intimidated by the hawk's inner-power, in fear that the hawk will give a bad message… or see straight through them. So sometimes they strike first to keep the hawk away."

Leo nodded, beginning to understand Alo's analogy.

"The way you describe your brother, I tend to think of the Eagle. They hold strong will and determination and most importantly, a desire for freedom. They are self-sufficient, rather than relying on others. They are known to have natural qualities for a leader, however, they usually prefer to go at things alone. They can sometimes seem overbearing as they don't like to be told what to do. But their strength is worthy, bold, and unique, and they will always step up to the challenge - with or without anyone's help."

Leo was thoughtful for a while and finally sighed, "So how do an eagle and hawk learn to co-exist?"

"How do all creatures on Earth co-exist?" Alo challenged in response.

"Is it even possible for an eagle and hawk to fly together?" Leo asked skeptically.

Alo smiled, his eyes glistening in the firelight as he looked Leo up and down and concluded, "Nothing's impossible."


	9. Chapter 9

After having that talk with Alo, Leo felt a little better about when he met up with Raph again. He fell asleep peacefully.

...

Nina gave each of Leo's brothers a place to sleep in her home. They all slept out in the living room. She gave them each a pillow and a blanket. Then she went to bed herself.

"Thanks Nina." Donny said.

"You're welcome Donatello. I'm sure my family and your brother will be back tomorrow. They've been gone for two days. Usually, a hunt for a prize buck only takes a couple of days."

Raph was more than ready to see Leo and make up for how he had treated him back at home. He just wanted to make sure he was really okay. He was anxious to see him. Mikey had missed his oldest brother for so long that he, just like Raph, was anxious to see him too. Don wanted to see Leo also and check on any further injuries, after what Nina had described to him about what had happened to Leo.

It had been a long day. The turtle brothers were dying to see their leader again. They hoped tomorrow would come quickly.

...

The next morning, Leo and the Indians woke up and it was the day they planned to return to the house. They fished for trout in the stream and had that for breakfast, then packed up their supplies. The buck was tied to the horse. And once again, the humans and turtle all carried their fair share of supplies back to the house.

On the way, Leo couldn't stop thinking about when he would see his family. As much as he liked it here, he wanted to go home. He liked this family and they would be considered friends for saving his life. Leo thought that it would be nice to get to the house and be surprised if his family was there. He thought they must be on their way if his human friends had gotten his letter by now.

...

Back at the house, Nina was serving Don, Raph, and Mikey some eggs for breakfast. They had helped out with some of the chores since her sons were not here to do it, and they were well deserving of this nice breakfast.

"I hope they get here soon. I miss Leo so much." Mikey whined.

"Me too." Don agreed.

"I know I really need to see him too and apologize." Raph said.

"I'm sure Leonardo knew you didn't mean to hurt him. He knew you were just angry, Raphael." Nina said gently.

"But I know I'm the reason he got captured after our fight. I'm the one who left him exhausted. I saw how hard he was breathing." Raph explained, "I've got to see him soon."

Then they heard the dogs barking.

The guys all looked over at Nina, who was now perked up as well, "The dogs bark when someone comes home or when we get visitors."

The turtles got up from the table to see who it was, instantly drawing their weapons in case it was something bad. But they didn't see anyone bad coming. What they saw were Indian boys, an older man, obviously their father… and their missing brother! Leo looked fine, walking along with a horse in tow behind them. They could hear their cheerful voices through the window.

Sam, Jacob, Alo, and Leo went to the barn first to take the buck off of Dalton's back. Then they untacked him and turned him back out with his companion. The buck would be dealt with later. Right now, the boys just wanted to go to the house and say hello to their mom and wife. Leo followed, feeling quite pleased; it had been quite a hunting trip.

While they headed for the house, they noticed the van parked in the driveway. Leo stopped short and smiled. His family were here.

Alo looked back at the turtle. "Is that your family's van?"

"Yeah, it is. I wondered if they might have shown up while we were gone." Leo answered.

"Leo!"

He looked up to hear his name called from the voices he knew better than anyone's. He grinned as the kitchen door swung wide and Mikey and Don came bounding out. They jumped the stairs on the porch and were quickly by his side.

Leo dropped the bags from his shoulders to embrace them in a hug. He beamed widely, his chest swelling while his brothers cuddled and spoke over the top of one another.

"Thank God you're alive!"

"We thought you were dead!"

"Are you okay?"

He pulled back and kept his arms draped over their shoulders while they told him how they found him.

...

"…so Donnie got us to the Penobscot River and from the address we were able to find ya!" Mikey finished his tale.

"Actually, it was Raph who knew to go East," Don pointed out.

The mention of Raph's name made them all go quiet and Leo peered around to the fourth turtle, who lingered behind them. Leo squeezed in between Don and Mikey to approach his red banded brother.

Raph had been slouching and he stood up straight as he came closer. His amber eyes darted to the ground and then peered up remorsefully and he mumbled, "Good to see ya."

Leo's smile returned and he threw his arms around the large turtle. Raph seemed taken by surprise and he hesitated before his own arms wrapped around Leo's shell. They stood there for several moments in a silent embrace. Though Raph hadn't said much, Leo could feel his remorse through the tightness of his grip.

"This is so sweet!" Mikey gave a dramatic sniff.

Leo and Raph jerked away from each other and stood awkward while the turtles and Indians grinned. Clearing his throat, Leo turned around and introduced his brothers to each of the Indian family members. Nina then ordered everyone inside so they could enjoy a feast she had prepared for lunch.

"Trust me, you never starve around here." Leo told his brothers.

"Mmm!" Mikey licked his lips and rubbed his stomach in memory of Nina's last meal. "Maybe we ought to think about moving."

...

Lunch had been cheerful, the room alive with chatter and clinking plates. Sam and Jacob were thrilled to see the four mutant together and they barely stopped to eat between all their questions.

Mikey took to them like a duck to water, joking playfully. Donatello awed them with their tales of adventures. Raph was quiet however, only peering up from his plate to smile occasionally. It concerned Leo that his sai-wielding brother was still feeling guilty about what happened. For Leo it didn't matter anymore, he was okay. But Raph's quietness made him suspect he was still beating himself up.

Mikey was playfully bantering with Sam and Jacob. He suddenly sprung from the table and challenged the boys to a duel outside, which they eagerly accepted. While they raced out onto the porch, Nina and Don also arose. The genius turtle had been quite impressed with Nina's stitch work and they'd been engrossed in conversation throughout lunch. They now left to seek out Nina's medical supplies to compare further notes.

With everyone dispersing, Raph took the opportunity to slide away from the table. He didn't say a word as he slipped out of the kitchen door. Leo peered through the window and saw that Raph had moved down the side of the porch rather than join Mikey, Sam, and Jacob on the lawn.

This now left Leo alone at the table with Alo, though he wasn't uncomfortable around him anymore. Alo had been watching them all closely and his eyed the turtle that began to clear the plates.

"Leonardo."

Leo peered up and Alo gave a nod in the direction that Raph had gone. With unspoken agreement, Leo smiled and put down the plates. He turned and stepped out of the kitchen and onto the porch and peered around. He could see Raph at the very end, slumped against the wooden pylon with his legs dangling over the edge. Taking a quick breath, Leo went over to him.

Raph looked up when Leo lowered down beside his brother. Neither said a word for a minute while they watched Mikey do cartwheels around the Indians. It was Raph to finally break the silence.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Leo turned to him, "As long as we're okay too."

Raph's eyes lowered down and his voice was strained, "I… I never meant for this ta happen to ya."

"I know," Leo nodded, "Neither of us knew the Foot was lying there in wait."

Raph's pupils rose to meet with Leo's gaze and he said solemnly, "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Raph looked away and confessed, "When ya didn't come back, it really freaked me out."

"Well, we're all together now, that's the important thing," Leo insisted.

His brother nodded quietly and he stared out at Mikey and the boys. The older turtle gazed at him while he thought about his conversations with Alo.

"You know Raph, we really aren't all that different."

His brother turned his head and raised an eye-ridge.

"We may argue about things… but we're always fighting for the same cause. We're both loyal and strong, and share the same values."

Raph's mouth grew in a smile while he gazed at him. Leo's did the same.

"Our views will always be different so we just need to learn to compromise," Leo insisted.

Raph bobbed his head, "Sorta like agree to disagree?"

"Yes," Leo replied and then cautiously added, "It's vitally important we have an understanding on the battlefield."

Raph said earnestly, "Leo, no matter how much we piss each other off, I'll always have ya shell on the battlefield."

Leo nodded in understanding and Raph muttered, "You're my bro."

The older turtle smiled, "That's all that really counts."

He peered back at Mikey tussling with Jacob and said, "When we work together Raph, we're an unstoppable team."

Raph nodded as his eyes followed Leo's gaze to the lawn. Another moment of silence fell upon them as they sat there. Then Leo asked curiously, "Don said you took them east, how did you know to go in that direction?"

"I didn't," Raph muttered, "I followed a hawk."

Leo hesitated, "What?"

"I dunno," Raph shrugged, "I just had this gut feeling and when I saw the bird I followed it."

The sound of the kitchen door opening caught both turtles' attention. They gazed over at Alo, who came lumbering out with an axe slung over his shoulder. He gave them a polite nod and his brown pupils peered knowingly at Leo. Without a word, he descended the steps and walked over to the wood pile to chop logs for the fire.

Raph broke Leo's thoughts and asked him, "So what do we do now?"

Leo turned back to him and replied, "We go home."

"And what about Karai and the Foot? We gotta get those fuckers for what they tried to do to you."

"It wasn't the first time and it won't be the last. We'll deal with them the same way we always do," Leo then sighed, "I just can't wait to get home and see Master Splinter."

A squeal sailed across and the brothers peered at Mikey, who was now pinned to the ground with Jacob and Sam tickling him.

Raphael smirked, "Ya know Mikey's gonna wanna take them back to New York."

Leo grinned, "I think Jacob and Sam will be asking their parents if they can keep him."

They both chuckled as they watched the three roll around the yard. Leo peeked sideways and was pleased to see Raph no longer looking tense. He also felt much more relaxed. His smile grew and he nudged Raph's arm, "I really missed you."

"Me too," Raph nudged him back and smirked, "But let's not get too soppy ey?"

...

After Alo had gotten the wood chopped, then it was time to start preparing the buck for dinner. Mikey avoided that; he didn't like to see dead animals.

Don stayed inside with Nina, and he had even called for Leo so he could have a look at the injury sites on him. They looked good, Nina sure had done a good job. Raph helped Sam and Jacob prepare the buck with the skinning and gutting. Alo took the head to make a trophy out of it. Nina then started cooking it.

That evening, three of the turtles were trying venison for the first time and with the way Nina cooked, they sure loved it. Leo announced to the Indian family that they needed to leave in the morning. It was nice staying here while it lasted and they would keep in touch through letters.

And now that his family was here, Leo had also gotten another pair of katanas. He felt like he was whole again. After dinner, Leo showed Sam and Jacob how he used his swords. Then, for the first time in many days, Leo and his brothers all participated in some sparring.

The Indians were quite impressed with the turtles' skills in fighting practice. It made Leo feel even more proud.

...

Leo had no trouble drifting off to sleep that night. He felt completely content being back in the presence of his family. His wounds were healed, giving no more discomfort as he lay. And being with Alo and his family really gave him a warm welcoming feeling. It was like this had become his home away from home. He knew he would miss them when he returned to New York.

He slept soundlessly, feeling fortunate for his life. The sudden scream that broke out jolted him out of his peaceful dreams like a slap in the face. The eldest turtle sprang up in the bed, his ears ringing. That had been Jacob's voice. He leapt out of the bed and slipped into the hallway. His brothers also appeared in the darkness, alert and silent.

They moved quickly in direction of the scream, which had come from Jacob's room. Heavy footfalls suddenly arose behind them. Alo barged passed them and flung open his youngest son's door. His head spun from side to side and he hollered Jacob's name. They then saw the broken window.

There was another muffled cry and they all ran forward. They could just see the silhouettes of the Foot ninjas that were dragging the young Indian boy deep into the trees.


	10. Chapter 10

The turtles squeezed out of the window while Alo raced back into the hall. The green mutants moved silently across the grass, ducking into the forest without a trace. 

Leo ordered them still for a minute while he listened. Then he pointed his hand and they began moving again. They ducked and weaved through the trees, gaining quickly on the Foot ninjas.

The sounds indicated there were many and when they found a clearing, they could see in the moonlight that there were at least twenty. Leo tightened his grip on the handle of his katanas and barged through the fauna with his brothers by his side. He ran quickly before leaping into the air and landing on the back of the humans that were dragging Jacob.

They cried out when they hit the ground and Jacob wriggled and bucked beneath them. Leo knocked the first human clean cold with a single punch. He then hooked his arm around the neck of the other. He twisted sideways, pulling the human against him in order to free the young Indian.

“Run!” He ordered.

The man continued to wrestle with Leo while Jacob scrambled to his feet. The boy peered in bewilderment at the black clad ninjas and green turtles fighting around him. Noises of pain were loud, rebounding off the trees while the turtles got their enemies down. With a quick snap, Leo let go of the human he was holding and jumped back up to face another attacker.

He ducked under their swinging arms and shouted again to the boy who stood there in a trance.

“Run Jacob!”

Jacob's eyes widened and nodded. He then turned around in a fumble before sprinting away through the trees.

Leo grunted when an arm pounded the back of his head. He blinked for a moment and another hand reached for his throat. He pried the fingers away when another dug at his side where his wound had been. Before he knew it, he had been pushed to the ground. He spun onto his shell, tripping up two men while he moved. Another came for him with a large sword.

Leo whipped up his katana in warning, but before he could do anything, the man suddenly jerked and stopped. He peered down at the sharp points of the sai that stuck out of his stomach. 

When Raphael withdrew his weapon, the human collapsed to the ground. The large turtle stood there looking fierce while he stared down at the enemy. Leo jumped up and patted his arm. Before he could thank him, one of their brother’s shouts caught his attention.

“Donny!” It was Mikey’s voice.

Leo and Raph spun around. There were not many Foot Clan left, but they were all crowding around Donatello. The genius turtle threw his bo back and forth in an effort to keep them at bay. Mikey was still calling his name, running up behind them to come to his aid. What he didn’t see was another Foot member that was creeping out from the trees on the far side of the clearing. He held a dangerously sharp weapon that glinted in the moonlight and he was heading straight for Mikey.

“Mikey, look out!”

At the same time that Leo called his warning, Raph threw his sai at the man. It missed him by mere inches. Mikey turned around to Leo and then he saw the human that was sneaking up on him. He turned his back just as the blade came plunging down and it sank into his shell. The young turtle jerked backwards, pushing the human down with his shell.

Leo was racing closer while another man pulled the blade out of Mikey’s shell to use on him. While Mikey turned around to face him, the other man was getting back up to attack him from behind. Leo was nearly close enough to leap to the rescue when there was another sound, like the air hissing.

The man with the bladed weapon cried out when an arrow embedded his chest. More Foot members began to shout as sharp arrows took them down one by one. Leo ran to Don’s side and sliced at the last few ninjas until the turtles were the only ones left standing.

Leo turned around to scan the darkness in the trees. He could just see Alo, off to their right, still armed with his bow and arrow. He slowly lowered his weapon while the blue clad turtle approached him.

“Thank you Alo, for protecting my family,” he said graciously.

“Thank you for protecting mine,” the Indian man replied.

Raph, Don and Mikey then approached them. 

“Where the shell did they come from?” Mikey exclaimed.

“They must’ve followed us,” Don replied.

“Is Jacob okay now?” Leo asked Alo anxiously.

The Indian nodded, “He is with his mother.”

“I’m sorry to have brought my problems into your home,” Leo apologized.

“It’s not your fault,” Alo shook his head, “We brought you into our home and you are always welcome here.”

He turned to Leo’s brothers and insisted, “The same goes for all of you.”

The turtles smiled and Alo placed an arm around Leo’s shoulders and smiled. “Now let’s go home.”  
.....

The next day found everyone hugging and saying goodbye.

Leo loved it here, but he was more than ready to go home and see his father and human friends again.

Mikey wished Sam and Jacob could come with them, as he desired some playmates.

Alo and Nina said the turtles were welcome there anytime and they would have to let them know if they were to come and visit again.

Leo promised that he would. He would let them know anytime when he and his brothers felt like coming for a visit.

Don thanked Nina most of all for treating Leo's wounds and getting him better, as Leo also thanked her too for saving his life.

Leo thanked Alo for teaching him some new things and for allowing him to be his family's guest. 

It was hard to say goodbye to their new special friends, but it was now time to go. But before they left, Sam went to to the dog kennels and picked up something. 

The turtles didn't know what he was doing, but what he brought back was so cute. It was a puppy for Mikey! 

"This puppy is for you Mikey, so you can have a playmate back at home." Sam said. 

"Thanks Sam!" Mikey took the little puppy in his arms.

Leo, Don, and Raph hadn't been expecting that. But the puppy would give Mikey a playmate to keep him busy with playing and teaching it things.

The puppy was a husky mix type. So it would have some energy to play with Mikey. It was a little male. It was a orangey brown and white color.

"What are you going to name the puppy, Mikey?" Leo asked. 

Mikey looked at him carefully. "I think I'll name him Sparky. I know this type of dog has energy like I do." Mikey said. 

"Yeah, they do. That's why we also run them in the winter with the sled." Alo said.

"And that's why I figured he'd make a good pet for Mikey." Sam said.

"Thanks Sam. I know Mikey will cherish him." Leo said.

With Sparky in hand, and everything ready to go and the final thanks and goodbyes, Leo and his brothers got in their van and drove back to New York. 

The Indians were glad to have had some excitement in a long time. It was nice to have met the turtles and made some new friends.


End file.
